A/N
So, first of all, we just hit 200 across the board! Favs, follows, and Reviews! Also, almost 80K friggin views! So I would like to thank you all for your overwhelming support, wouldn't have been able to do this without you.
Uh, I'll leave the super lengthy announcement at the bottom I guess. Won't affect the story length, so if it's short, it's short because it just is... if that makes any sense. Just another heads up I guess.
Blake's back pressed against the hard, rigorous contours of what felt like the trunk of a large tree bark.
She was surrounded in nothing but darkness, her yellow orbs flicking left and right to analyze her surroundings as her hands instinctively reached behind her to grab the hilt of her sword.
Faunuses were supposed to be able to see in the dark, which made it much more alarming since there was nobody in sight, yet...
There was a presence nearby.
She could sense it.
"Blake..."
Her hands grasped Gambol Shroud and drew it out with a loud rasp, wielding it in front of her body as her head twisted from side to side to detect the source of the voice. Her teeth ground against each other, threatening to shatter as beads of cold sweat cascaded down the side of her face.
It was nothing but a sheer and distant whisper, but she could feel it rapidly closing the distance. Without a doubt she slashed Gambol Shroud diagonally across her body.
It struck nothing but thin air.
As if summoned by her thoughts, in an instant, something grasped her wrist and slammed it against the wall behind her. Gambol Shroud fell to the ground with a loud clatter.
"W...who?"
She felt hot breath wash over the top pair of her ears, causing it to flick.
"Blake..."
Slowly, the presence directly in front of her materialized as a tall man with sharp and choppy hair.
Even through the darkness, she could make out his defined pectoral and collarbone jutting as his clothes hung loosely over his defined form.
There was no denying his identity, not with that all too familiar voice.
"L...Louis?" She took in a sharp, deep breath as she felt the callouses of his fingers brush against her inner thigh.
"Glad you recognized me... Blakey..." With a reassuring voice like that, she relented. "After this, I don't think you're gonna ever forget..."
"Huh...?" Her vision blurred as she felt him grab her other wrist and seized it above her head, along with the first.
A sudden yelp escaped her lips as she felt a finger digging into the tight trousers she wore and stretching it out, before the rubbery material slapped against her skin, marking a red line in her smooth, creamy waist.
"W-what are you doing...?" She asked, her voice strained as his face drew closer.
That was a dumb question to ask, she knew.
It was clear to anybody with a brain and a pair of eyes as to what he was doing.
She just wanted him to say it out loud.
"I think you would've known by now, judging by the books you read..."
His face went past hers while his dry lips latched onto her smooth neck, making her body quiver as he started to suck on it.
"W-w... ah..."
Instinctively, one of her legs rose up to caress over his own as she found herself linking her hands to the back of his head, letting his wolftail loose.
"Nobody's here Blake..." He confirmed as she felt her soaked trousers being drawn down slowly. "We're alone..." She felt his head slowly rose above hers, forcing her to look at his defined packs.
Blake's eyes widened as her mouth elicited another honest, pained moan as she felt him claiming her faunus traits.
She never realized how sensitive her other pair of earlobes were.
He nipped and nibbled down, forcing it to stay in place even as it tried to flick away while his face roved over nearby to whisper into them. "We can do... whatever... we... " His teeth sank into her skin. "Want..."
"Mm... Hngh..."
She was far too gone to answer. She was panting into his chest now, inhaling the intoxicating musk that was enshrouding their bodies.
"Can I...?" He asked insistently as he tugged at her undergarments.
After a moment of regaining her breath, she finally regained some semblance of mind to respond, and even then, her eyes were lidded as the air that exited her lungs came out in short, lusty breaths.
"What are you gonna do to me...?" She asked.
Again, the same, dumb question. Again, she just wanted to hear him say it.
"It's quite obvious..." He chuckled teasingly. "Isn't it? If you don't want to, all you need to do is tell me to stop..."
She bit down on her bottom lip, but made no refusal.
'Do it...' Her mind pleaded. 'Please...'
She must've thought out loud, if his sly grin was any indication.
"First... I whip it out..." Even in the darkness and their bodies pressed against each other, obscuring her vision, she could feel it's length as it exited his briefs to fall against her thighs.
It didn't stay there for long however, as it's limp form metamorphized into a hardening rod. It's warmth radiated against the cold night air, and she couldn't help but be drawn to it. It took every ounce of power in her body not to push him down onto the stone cold floor and feel it.
The thought of it entering her made her shudder.
She wouldn't have to imagine it for long.
"Then..." It moved it's position between her slit as she felt her underwear being shifted out of the way, right at where it's supposed to belong oh so long ago. "I thrust it..." A pained moan tore itself free of her throat. "With... great... force..." He didn't even wait for her to adjust. Each word was punctuated with a hard pistoning of his hips.
"Aah... Hngh..."
Yes...
This is what she'd yearned for beyond her wildest dreams, ever since that time she woke up to the sight of him in his undressed state. Even back then, she'd thought that a dream instead.
This was what she'd always wanted.
"Louis... Ahh..."
She wanted this.
She wanted...
Him.
"Faster..."
Her fantasies only got wilder with each passing day, up to the point where, even if it wasn't fair, she would imagine his face over Sun's and tried to ignore him as he made out with her.
"Every angle..." He can feel his hot breath and his teeth nipping against her neck now, claiming her to forever be his woman. "It penetrates..."
Another groan pushed past her lips as she felt her crop top being lifted off her shoulders, exposing her soft mounds to the night air.
He was getting faster.
Faster... and deeper with each thrust.
"... I... ram it in...!"
Her back arched backwards. Her lips parted to scream out his name but what came out instead was a muffled blister of air as his lips overtook hers. She can feel his large hands linking around her back to hold her down so that she wouldn't move too far away as his tongue swirled around hers.
"And in the end..." As his head drew back a string of saliva that connected the two of them broke. His face was flushed red, and on a second look, so was his topless body, full of both her sweat mixed with his. Who was panting harsher, she could not tell. As she glanced down, Blake only had one thing in her mind, and that was Louis.
He, in return, looked the same, with only her filling his mind.
She felt it getting hotter and start to throb.
One. She can feel him depositing something within her. Two. Three. She felt him pump it all out inside of her, filling her up. Four.
"We are all satisfied." When his hands left her, she stumbled in place, her legs feeling like jelly as she struggled to find purchase.
The moment he left her, she missed his warmth that was just inside her a few seconds ago immediately, even as part of him trailed down her thighs. "And... you're set free." He turned his back to her as he walked away, with her hand reaching out even as her vision blurred.
No...
She was left alone on the cold floor. Alone, shuddering, and hungry for more.
"Don't go... " She grasped the thin air. "Please."
Louis gave his two finger salute.
"Louis stop!"
Her amber eyes snapped open.
Immediately, the once vivid image vanished into a blur while she inhaled in a loud gasp.
Her breaths came out in heavy pants, chest heaving up and down as wild eyes flicked to the person in charge of putting her in such a messed up state.
The low, orange glow from the nearby bonfire was the only thing illuminating his face up as he rested his neck against his backpack, his jagged greatsword on standby to face any incoming intruders.
Ugh...
She had one of... those dreams again.
...
Even if she woke up feeling uncomfortable, she had to ask.
Why couldn't it last just a bit longer...?
"Damnit..." Blake's fingers went under her sleeping bag to check that she was indeed, wet yet again. Why it had come off as a surprise, she does not know. Her skin was slick with a sheen of sweat and... other fluids.
She took in deep breaths, attempting to steady her breathing.
Her eyes flicked for a brief moment to look at the sleeping figure of her male teammate who had turned on his side with his back facing her.
Louis knew that she liked him. He knew ever since the start of the second semester of their days in Beacon. Ever since she indirectly confessed, where he had declined. The memory had stung till this day, but was mitigated by the fact that he was willing to give her a chance now.
So why?
Why did it feel so wrong to be dreaming about him this way?
Is it because he liked her for what she was, yet she lusted after him instead?
"No..." Blake muttered under her breath, slamming her body on her back as she scrunched her eyes shut to try and fall asleep, rolling over to face the other side. Anywhere would be perfect right now as long as she wasn't facing him.
He needs time to accept it and consider it. Besides...
I'm not the only one on his waiting list.
Even if it might hurt that he didn't return her feelings and chose their leader instead, she'd accept the fact that she had a chance.
She wasn't gonna rush things.
Not again.
Not like what I did with Adam.
...
...
Should I snuggle up to him? Her mind suggested.
"Shut up..." She muttered out loud.
It'll be a step further to gaining the reply you want.
No...
She couldn't.
...
Could she?
But it'll be nice and comfy. Her treacherous mind said. Surely he wouldn't mind...
"No..." She mumbled again. "Go away..."
Yes... Her mind contradicted. Imagine those hard abs in your dreams. He'd been working hard in rehab just for you...
...
Maaaaaybe... just a little.
One eye cracked open as she sought out to do what she wanted.
It met lilac.
"Hey there uh... Kitty kat."
It took all her power to hold down a scream that was working it's way out of her throat as she felt her cheeks heat up, turning her face redder then Ruby's cloak.
She had been caught ogling Louis red handed.
"How long have you been awake?" She managed to ask through her dry throat in what she hoped wasn't too nervous of a tone.
"Quiiiite a while now..." Yang replied, her tone flat while her lilac orbs remaining unblinking and wide. Even though it was obvious she was deep in thought, it looked uncanny as a doll, even as her eyes wasn't directly aimed at her face. Blake couldn't tell if it was the orange hue from the fire, but she was almost certain the blonde brawler's cheeks were constantly turning red as well.
"What?" Blake asked incredulously when it seemed like her partner was broken as a full minute went by without a response.
"You uh..." Yang mumbled as she tried to explain, blinking as she rolled her tongue in her mouth for what felt like hours. "How do I say this?"
"What Yang?" Blake spat as she suddenly felt like strangling her partner.
It wasn't like the buxom blonde to get a cat on her tongue.
Damnit Yang...
"You were sorta..." She tried to find the correct words as yellow orbs pierced her gaze. Never has she seen the blonde brawler this fidgety. Usually, she'd be the one to put up a strong front as she cracked her lame or dirty jokes.
"Sorta...?" Blake was about to die from the anticipation alone. Why was Yang hesitating so much?
"...sorta... moaning his name in your sleep." The blonde finally managed to get through, breathing heavily while she shuffled uncomfortably in place.
...
...
For how long?"
"The past hour... nonstop." Yang gulped. "It was so... so sensual that it even got me out of my comfort zone. I wanted to wake you up but... you seemed to be enjoying your dreams so much that I couldn't be bothered."
...
...
"And how much did you hear?"
"Pretty much... Everything..."
...
"I... see."
...
...
A full minute later, Blake sat upright, shoulders stiff and movements as robotic and rigid. She had her back facing the brawler as she dug into the sleeping bag, and Yang couldn't make out her features as she rummaged in silence.
"Where are you going?" Yang raised a worried brow at her partner as she automatically echoed her partner and jolted upright.
"Tell Louis that I love him." She brandished Gambol Shroud in front of her with both hands before kneeling down. "Thank you Yang, my life outside the White Fang had been a fun one."
"Woah woah woah!" The blonde brawler immediately scrambled to lunge at the faunus as she raised Gambol Shroud up high with both hands. Orange hair blocked her vision.
Later...
Louis's POV
"Okay..." I scratched the back of my neck as I threw a glare at the cat faunus. "What the hell just happened last night?!"
The moment I cracked my eye open with my mind still half dazed, it was to see Blake almost committing seppuku!
Can't a man get his sleep?!
Thank the brothers her Aura shielded her from penetrating completely, and that Penny had not been on power saving mode.
The ginger cyborg had somehow managed to track us with her radar, coming to us in the dead of night as she literally mowed through the forest.
The saplings that grew and manage to find themselves impeding her path didn't survive the android's sharp blades.
In fact, if she hadn't sounded off, I would've fired up Requiem in thoughts that it was another large Beringel.
Thank god for her arrival, for her interference was the only thing stopping Blake from gaining the same scar on her naval Adam had stabbed through at the end of Volume 3.
Blake didn't respond at all. In fact, she looked twice her age and paler then usual as she rigidly took her morning tea. Her face was set in a dead smile as yellow eyes stared onto the grass.
"Uh..." Yang drawled on as she scratched her cheek. "I really don't think you want to agitate her more then she already is Louis."
"How exactly am I agitating her for asking what took place last night?" I raised a curious brow as I stared at her incredulously. "If there was a Grimm capable of influencing her decisions or worse, having complete control of her mind, I have the right to know. This just made Salem all more dangerous then she already is."
"It's not Grimm..." The blonde brawler explained for the sake of her partner.
"Then...?" My eyes snapped to hers.
"It's uhh... " The purple eyed girl looked towards the sky for a source of inspiration. "PMS?"
"I'm pretty sure the mood swings do NOT include suicidal tendencies." I felt my eye twitch while my lips twisted into a frown. "If it does, I would be handling 4 suicidal teenagers for a team for 12 months straight. Pretty sure that didn't happen."
"It doesn't..." Yang agreed and attempted to explain when it was very clear that she was trying her best to wing it. "But the pain is... unbearable. Yeah, that's it!" She laughed nervously. "Nothing wrong with wanting to die every once a month! Hahahaa..."
...
I sighed, then rested the back of my hand on the faunus's forehead.
Blake immediately flinched the moment it made contact.
It was burning.
So were her cheeks.
"You sure you're alright?"
"Y-yeah..." Blake muttered as she finally snapped out of her catatonic state.
I know she was emo and all, but to suddenly just kill herself? That's so out of character, even for her.
"Are you sure?" I pushed for confirmation.
It took her a while, but eventually, she nodded slightly.
...
"If you say so." I sighed, finally letting the issue go, much to both partner's relief if their slumped shoulders were anything to go by.
"Everything under control?" Derrick strode by as he tossed me a bottle of soda.
"Yeah, we gucci." I confirmed, before a soft click resounded, and an immense jet of purple blasted me square in the face.
"I..." Derrick's face paled as I threw a stone cold glare at him. "I forgot that we might've shaken it when we were hurtling out of the ship..."
...
"I'll find a river and wash up..." I sighed, getting up as I licked the sweetened liquid from my lips and wiped a hand across my face, flapping it for good measure before walking away.
Kevin's POV
"There's no way you're that forgetful." Kevin snorted once Louis was out of sight. "Not with all the lores you manage to memorize, and not unless you're Clumsy D."
Derrick's shoulders rose and fell, before the edge of his lips twisted into a smirk.
"What are you playing at D?" Kevin's eyes flicked back and forth at the man and his task as he chopped carrots and potatoes for what seemed to be, curry boiling away over the fire.
"Did you forget the bet we made?" He chuckled darkly.
"No, but what does that have to do with sending Louis awa-" Kevin's eyes widened. "Oh, you sneaky bastard."
"Yeap." He strolled over to the girls, making sure to get a good glance at Ruby's sleeping form before he settled down in front of Blake.
Blake's POV
"Hi." Derrick, if she remembered correctly, greeted.
"Heeey..." Yang rose a suspicious brow at him as lilac eyes flicked to her sister for but a brief moment.
"We don't have much time so I'm gonna be frank." He admitted. "You like Louis." He pointed a finger at Blake.
Blake's face found itself reddening again. At this rate, she'll feel light-headed and hopefully pass out in no time.
"So?" Yang answered for her partner yet again.
"What if I tell you, that I could help?"
"Why are you suddenly interested in her winning him over?" Yang's eyes suddenly flashed crimson as she let out a fearsome growl. "What do you have to gain?"
"Woah woah," Derrick held out both hands as he attempted to calm down the raging blonde who's hair is close to going up in flames. "I'm just offering my services because you guys aren't too familiar with the cultures on earth, which is his place of origin mind you."
"And why should we listen to you?" The blonde brawler's eyes narrowed. "What's to say this isn't a setup doomed to fail? That seems to be the only thing you've been good at."
Ouch. Blake knew her partner was only sticking up for her. Still, that was uncalled for.
"Look," He sighed in a way that told her he was used to the insults as he took off his beanie and ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. "I only want to help. I'm only gonna tell you what I know, and you can choose whether or not you want to follow it. You can all decide whether or not you want to hang me later on. Quick disclaimer, I'm not saying that what I suggest would have a one hundred percent success rate." He admitted before Blake could ask further. "I'm just saying that I have information that you don't. What I can tell you would make most men go crazy. If you'd let me help, and it fails, can't say you didn't try your best with a native's support." He shrugged nonchalantly. "What do you say?"
Yang looked like she wanted nothing but to sock his jaw and tell him to buzz off, but Blake held out her hand to reign her partner in.
The purple eyed brawler stared at the cat faunus for long moments.
"You can't actually be considering this Kitty Kat." She muttered as her jaw hung open in the air.
"It's not like he's putting me into a corner." Blake shrugged honestly, the first, proper response they got from her ever since the debacle this morning. "In the end, it's my choice if I want to follow his suggestions or not." She eyed Derrick to make sure he was nodding as a confirmation. "And I'm not desperate enough to want to let Louis into my life so badly, that I couldn't tell the difference between what's blackmail material and what isn't. Can't hurt to try."
Derrick held a finger up and opened his mouth to complain that he would never do such a thing.
A glare, one from the chef cooking their breakfast and followed up by one from the blonde brawler got him to clamp up.
Yang's teeth ground against each other as her eyes flicked between Blake and Derrick, before getting up to walk over to her sister, but not before she shot him a dirty look.
"Try anything funny," She warned. "Especially if it involves my sister," Yang hissed threateningly. "And you're dead."
"If that ever happens I'm pretty sure Louis would get to me first." He waved off as the blonde brawler sat down beside the sleeping bag, stroking her sister's hair and careful to let her have ample rest. "So," He grinned ever so cunningly, threatening his face to split in two, causing Blake to have second thoughts. "Where should we start?"
Qrow's POV
"... so, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a chance do you think I have on winning your nieces over?"
"Kid, you better shut your yap before I do it for you." Qrow warned as he pulled Harbinger's blade out of the Beowolf's skull and prayed to the Brothers he got the message.
He didn't and continued to ramble on.
"I mean, really, is Ruby the lovechild of you and Summer? It just makes so much sense that she wields a scythe like you do and-"
"For the last time, no she's not!" The huntsman snapped. Why do they even keep him around?! They should've just left him back at Vale!
How he ended up saving the most annoying one, he had no idea. His Semblance was off, there was no denying that. The gash on his forehead that had yet to heal reminded him of that fact.
"But you... used to have feelings for her." The pudgy teen pushed on, causing the nerve within the side of his head to jut out. "For Summer... right?"
"And what makes you think I should answer you?"
"Is that a yes?"
Qrow glared daggers at the boy as he felt his blood pressure rise tenfold, yet it seemed to have no effect on him.
He's got to make sure Glynda still kept his insurance card, because he had a feeling he'll be needing it very, very soon.
"Well..." The alien deflated as he kicked at the ground, causing a loose pebble to skip out of the way, which for some reason warranted Qrow to automatically imagine his youngest niece in his place.
It was all so wrong to see even a small bit of her in the fat, young man before him.
"That's true I guess..." He continued as he linked both his hands behind his back as his lower jaw jutted out into a pout.
"No." Qrow looked straight ahead as he let out a strained breath. "Fuck no."
I'm not dealing with this shit right now.
He did not need an alien to taint the image of his niece.
Deep breaths Qrow. Deep breaths.
Qrow was sure he heard about having 'Fan theories being unconfirmed for now' or something muttered under his breath, but ignored it as they trudged through the muddy expanse of the forest.
"Now shut up and be useful for once." The drunkard yelled as he brushed a branch aside, letting go with the purpose of it smacking the earthling square in the face. It worked.
"Keep a lookout." Qrow hid his smug smirk from the sight of the person he was escorting as he continued to walk a good distance in front of him. "We need to find the others as soon as possible. There's no telling how many other Geists there are float'in round'ere. It's not like I could defend you forever." That, and any more exposure to your idiocy will make even Winter Schnee look nice in my eyes.
Perhaps it was not the foreigner that needed defending. Maybe it was him.
"Soon enough your Aura's gonna go back up and you're gonna heal up." Dwiki huffed. "So I don't get how that's gonna be a problem."
"Did you forget what my Semblance was?" Qrow attempted to reason with a lie.
"We made it this far didn't we?"
Qrow grumbled under his breath.
"I swear if I'm gonna hear another word from you, I'm gonna lose it..." Qrow groaned. "You're worse than Yang when she's on a pun streak, and that's saying a lot."
"Well can you at least tell me what I lack?" Dwiki asked as he kicked the muddy ground once more, eyes roving up to plead at the huntsman, causing him to stop and let out an exasperated sigh. "I mean, you're just so... cool that I couldn't help but feel like you're the right person for the job..."
Well when he puts it like that...
"Look," Qrow sighed once again. "You're hormonal and you want to get girls. I get it, it's normal for your age and I was a teen once too. But... it'll wear off soon enough, and you're gonna have to realize that this is just an illusion of life. Get a girl at your age now, and it'll hurt like a bitch later on in life. Trust me."
"But I'm 22..." Dwiki groaned. "I don't want to die a virgin..."
"You won't." Qrow lied as he broke eye contact. "Everybody has to get their partners eventually. Just not my nieces." He added when Dwiki's face lit up.
It was the only way he could think of to shut him up.
"But Louis had no problem luring the both of em..."
In an instant, Qrow grabbed Dwiki by his collar as he was lifted a feet or two above ground. "What did you just say?"
"What makes you think I should answer you?" Dwiki mimicked Qrow from earlier with a fake throaty impression that ended up sounding like a frog croaking.
"Quit playing around brat." The huntsman's tone was flat and cold, set in a dead serious expression as his brows furrowed into an unrelenting glare. "Run that by me again."
Dwiki shrugged.
"Did you not notice how awfully quiet Ruby went back in the plane when you asked Yang what she meant by 'too'?"
Qrow's crimson eyes widened, his jaws dropping to the floor, followed by dropping Dwiki afterward.
How had he been so blind?
The bastard's show of strength by beating the crap out of him, twice no less. His show of affection towards him by letting him go first in the explanation and the offer to take away his bad luck Semblance to win his nieces over, and the fact that they feel like they owe him their lives by saving them at Beacon.
Their... lives... indebted... to him...
His alcoholic mind pieced one's and two's together. Or was it two's and two's?
"Uh... " Dwiki somehow still had the nerve to poke his side. "Qrow?"
"THAT'S IT!" Qrow's voice boomed throughout the deserted part of the forest. "I'm gettin' me scythe!"
Louis's POV
"Man, this stuff doesn't come off easy..." I muttered under my breath as I ran a hand through my hair to find the purple substance trailing down and sticking between my locks like melted candy.
Really glad Yang wasn't here. She'd have had the time of her life teasing me to no end if she heard me say that.
I wonder how the others are doing...
We never managed to arrange a search party for the others before the sun managed to set beyond the horizon. With the darkness that befell us before we could do anything, what was supposed to be a harmless stakeout in a confined radius, even with a party, can turn dangerous, especially if there were more Grimm at the level of Beringels prowling around.
The majority of the party was with me, with Yang and myself being the front line fighters while we have Ruby and Blake for range if needed. Ruby could also swap in case either of us gets tired, so even with Derrick and Kevin to look out for, we were pretty much covered.
Penny was on power saving mode since power was limited until we can find civilization, but I'm sure her reserves could boot her up for armed combat if push comes to shove.
The rest of the group should be relatively safe, if the information Derrick gave us was reliable and hadn't changed for the last 12 hours. If Amber really was with Adrian, then that left Qrow with Dwiki. Both powerhouses of their own and leagues beyond whatever we could achieve, with or without their Aura.
So, we did the next best thing and camped the night in, with me lending my sleeping bag to Blake for much needed comfort, and Kevin's to Yang, while Ruby had her hood to keep her snug and warm.
Nobody trusted Derrick's to be clean, so he got to keep his.
Besides, the grass was soft enough to sleep in, and my backpack did make a comfortable substitute for a pillow.
Obviously, right before the Grimm attacked, we covered quite the distance from Vale in our Bullhead, saving probably 4 month's worth of travel time altogether from what Team RNJR went through on foot in Volume 4.
"Now all that's left to do is find out where Evans had set the rendezvous point, and we should be able to travel all the way to Haven on foot."
As if summoned by my thoughts, a flare rose high up into the air and a loud explosion shook the forest. When I made to look, it was to see a large fireball fizzling out nearby the foot of a mountain a few miles out.
Heat washed over my face, and before my brain could register what it was, it dissapated.
"Uh..."
That wasn't the smartest move...
Especially if what he said on the airship was true, then Cinder and her crew have had to have reached Haven by now, or had already set up camp as they split into groups to seek out the Spring Maiden.
If that's true, then at this rate they'll not only snag Raven...
But with the large ass 'KICK ME' sign Evans just sent out, Amber as well.
Then again, there was no other way to notify us of her location without giving it away. Not unless she wanted to start a forest fire, which would alert the Grimm nearby before we'd start to notice.
I just have to hope that the hunt hadn't started just yet. Or if it did, that whoever was on patrol was far enough away that we'd make it to Amber first.
Unless...
With a grunt, I hefted Requiem on my shoulder and activated it's ranged form. It mecha shifted with a whirr and a deep clank, splitting in the middle as hard-light Dust formed in the middle.
Slipping a specialized glove on, I snapped the extended crimson tinted Dust off it's tip and hurtled it with all my might. With my superior huntsman-in-training physique, it went a good 60 or so meters in a diagonal angle before it reached the pinnacle of it's height and started to arc down.
I snapped my fingers, causing my glove to glow, then I closed my ears, and hoped for the best.
It exploded in a similar fashion, hopefully sounding off louder to travel in a wider distance.
"I hope that was enough to throw them off..." I muttered as I set Requiem back on the river bank while I strode towards the currents of the river and started to cleanse myself once more in the knee deep water that was rushing against my feet.
Or at least, buy us some time to get there...
Evans you idiot...
A loud caw resounded behind me, causing me to sigh in relief.
Well that answers the question of just how loud it was.
"Took you a while to track us Qrow." I smirked as I rubbed my armpits free from the sugary substance. "Here I thought we'd find you first."
He didn't respond.
"Yeah yeah, I get that you're pissed off finding me half naked while you're battling in a Grimm infested forest with no situation on your nieces. You can relax. Yang and Ruby are with me, so let me just wrap this up and-"
A loud splash echoed behind me as cold water splashed against my back. Before I could turn around and react, I felt a sharp end of a blade dig into my spine.
"Qrow, what are you-?!"
I immediately froze at the sight of a crimson pair of eyes.
My voice died in my throat as long, choppy hair filled my vision, along with red, ornate armor with feathers decorating it's hem.
Red eyes roved at my topless figure up and down, observing my battered body.
Sure, the holes that I gained during the Fall was technically 'cured' by Aura, but it's not like it didn't leave a mark. Or... marks, in this case.
After a satisfied nod, her eyes finally met mine.
"You... " She recalled as her tounge poked the inside of her cheeks. "Were the one within the armour during the Fall of Beacon, and the one who saved my daughter in the train."
With her Odachi, Omen, threatening to break through my Aura, I gave her a baleful nod over my shoulder.
For some reason, Raven licked her lips.
A/N
Apologies to those of you wanting your Reviews, but I have to set this one aside for now. Let it off my chest, that sorta thing.
Stupid pandemic being a thing here now aside, I've never been a big fan of these personal notes, because as much as I'd like to share what's happening with y'all, I consider it a waste of space when you guys could be reading the fic, and that I personally find it a waste of time trying to vent something I couldn't change.
Now, comes the grim part. Uhh... there's not really an easy way to say this. Living in an age and society where having 1 job is no longer sufficient enough to provide for expenses had been difficult, but I managed to pull through the last 7 months or so while writing this fic with your support, so thank you.
But now... I need to make ends meet for not only for myself, but my family as well.
Hell, I'm surprised it even took this long to happen xD. We're 60 chapters in, only then does stuff like this happen. Dangit, we're so close to the end too.
Kidding, still quite far away in that regard.
Now, hold your horses before you unfollow or unfav. I'm not abandoning this story, not at all. And this fic had been and will continue to be FREE all the way towards the end since it started off as a passion project of my own liking and my creative control, with Evans taking a part in it too.
However, now I may not be able to update in a week's time or half a week anymore, and will probably take longer to do chapters in between while I try to find alternate ways to find them greens.
Now, FF isn't burdening me in any way. I love what I do here in FF and will continue to do so. If I were to ever lose my passion (Via Burnout), I would take a short break because I know I wouldn't enjoy writing the chapters, and that would result in you guys reading chapter's that are half assed but uploaded on time, which is not what either of us wants.
So, without further ado, I'll probably open up a page in a week's time, put it on my profile where you guys could probably donate to on your own free will, with your own courtesy, of course, there's no set amount of limit one should be paying and nobody will be forced into paying for anything.
The last thing I want it for you guys, my supporters, to be out of funds and eating oatmeal or instant noodles for the next month.
Eh ehm... not that I know from experience or anything...
That being said, I have no idea how to do this, I've never done online transactions so that's why I'm giving myself a deadline of next week setting it up. If there are any other sites that allow for easier setup, let me know.
I know it's a huge step for me, but it's the only one I've got right now.
If it reaches it's target where I'm able to feed myself off FF and save... idk about more than half the salary from my current job, then we might even go back to weekly or half a week chapter updates again which quality I will be more then happy to try to maintain.
Also, I would like to ask to any of you reading this, if any of you guys would like to commission me in my writing for specific pairings. [Doesn't have to be smut, could just be a short romance story or a short humor story or etc, and that is just one of many examples.]
I know I'm a far cry away from being perfect in my writing, but I'm willing to try and step out my comfort zone to do my best in these.
Obviously, the characters needn't be intertwined to this fic, and if the characters in it are, it'll be out of canon one shots. Also, this would be binded towards RWBY specifically, since I'm already comfortable in writing the characters.
Smut is ok... I guess, but it has to be limited to a one shot since I don't want it to take time away from my main fic which you guys enjoy. Obviously, if you guys want to commission further for it to continue, then it will.
Again, never tried the online transaction thing, so it might take a while to get used to.
In my personal experience, I tend to skip over the sex scenes that gets way too descriptive, but I could do those if that's really what you guys want.
I'll cross this line... considering the pairings aren't too wrong. [Seriously... Zwei x Anybody, Really?] Obviously if you guys are willing to pay the price while I slowly lose my sanity... then so be it... [I'm looking at you DankAnon...]
Take what I wrote above as a freebie, a thank you in way for you guys sticking through. Obviously this is just to show you guys how far I've come as a writer and a small sample to what I could do, and would continue to improve for more.
Obviously, it would be a completely separate fic altogether or if you guys don't want to share it, I could always keep it personal in PM's, which will be linked as a google doc file or smth. Do let me know in advance.
If any of you experienced writers reading this have any other idea based on your experience on how to make off FF since it's the only thing I have going right now, I would be happy to hear it and consider any options available.
That's it for now, Louis out.
Now, finally, the moment you've been waiting for. Onto the Reviewer Sessions.
Reviewer Sessions
shadehuntsman666: Wait, you mean read the whole fic all over again, or read the scene over again?
Darkrider220: I know most of my friends quit at V1 due to their lack of budget back then, and that's the reason why I decided to go and reintroduce their clothing. Glad you liked it, was a pain in the ass to do.
Kage-kitsune9001: 1: No prob fam 2: Isn't it everybody's headcanon? xD
The Ancient Irish King: Well you called it, so pat yourself in the back.
DankAnon: I'm sure I don't want my eyes to be targeted. One of the theories is that Ruby would lose her sight just because of her silver eyes. Oooh, pray tell the one with Futa Yang. Well, in any case that does happen when I walk into the room, and I quote: "What the hell is this?"
paradox0.5white: Really? That's new to me.
sacke110: It wasn't specifically aimed at you bro, because as time goes by, I figured some hadn't even got past Vol 1, but I would be lying if I were to say you weren't part of it. Eh... if you're ever curious if I quoted anybody, I'm sure you could just youtube it up. Wink Wink. Yeah, now she got herself into an even more STICKIER situation.
